About Global Health
At Gillings, our global health work impacts policy and programs locally and globally. We have an extensive network of faculty, students and alumni who conduct global health research and practice. Our community is collaborative and supportive of those who want to partner to address complex public health challenges or come to Gillings to build their careers in global health.
Local is global and global is local

Our Approach

There are four key elements that define our global-local approach:

The adaptation of interventions for different settings: This refers to using evidence-based approaches that have been developed in one setting and adapting it for application in another setting. An example of this is faculty who have developed interventions for HIV prevention interventions to reduce HIV risk for adolescents in South Africa adapting and applying their interventions for adolescent populations risk in a U.S. setting.

The application of similar approaches to engaging communities to address health inequities: Effective approaches to working with communities whether in the U.S. or outside of the U.S. use similar community-engagement approaches, including building trust, listening, and working collaboratively. These approaches are similar whether we are working in rural North Carolina or rural Vietnam.

Addressing health challenges faced by global populations living in the U.S.: Another element of this approach is the focus on our public health practice and research with immigrant populations in the U.S. The challenges immigrant communities in the U.S. face require methods and approaches that not only reflect good community engagement practices, but also a cultural tailoring of approaches to reach and achieve impact in these communities.

Addressing health challenges that have no borders: This is the idea that diseases have no borders. An infectious disease that emerges in one setting will eventually affect other regions because of the movement of people across borders.  COVID-19 is the most obvious example of this.  This reflects the idea that we need to think globally when we think about rolling out prevention tools like vaccines.  If we don’t address inequities in vaccine access across the world, there is no way that global pandemics will be controlled.

Read more about several global faculty members who are engaged in this space.

Global Partnerships

Our collaboration with UNC’s Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases (IGHID) forms the cornerstone of our global partnership strategy. Gillings faculty are leading and collaborating on research at five IGHID sites. Numerous Gillings students have worked on various projects at these same sites. Public health focus areas in these sites include HIV/AIDS, cancer, maternal and child health, mental health, substance use, tuberculosis, water and sanitation, nutrition, and emerging infectious diseases, among others.
International research sites Gillings faculty work in partnership with IGHID include:
  • Malawi
  • Zambia
  • Vietnam
  • China
  • Liberia

Read more about our Global Partnerships with institutions, multilateral agencies, and those led by faculty.

Spotlight
Get to Know Our Global Faculty

Q&A with Dr. Dane Emmerling

We interviewed Dr. Dane Emmerling about his path into public health, his innovative teaching philosophy centered on sociopolitical development, and his work co-leading the Thailand Study Abroad program.

Global Health Seminars
We organize seminars featuring important global health issues and experts who share their expertise and personal experiences in the field.
Perspectives in Global Health Research and Careers
Resilience in Action
Reimagining Global Health Training
Global Health at Gillings
80+
Global Health Faculty Members
45+
Global Health Courses
40+
Countries Where We Conduct Research
$43.2M
Secured by faculty for funding for research with global components
275+
International Students
Global Health Academic Offerings
BSPH in Community and Global Public Health
MPH in Global Health
Executive DrPH in Leadership
PhD
Online Certificate in Global Health
This Week in Global Health Newsletter
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Support Our Students

At Gillings, we are training the next generation of global public health professionals. An important aspect of their training is applying what they have learned in the classroom in a real world context with global health organizations around the world. Travel funds can help students travel for research, pre-dissertation or dissertation work, practicum, internship and presenting at conferences. Support global travel funds for students.

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CONTACT INFORMATION
Global Health Team
globalsolutions@unc.edu

135 Dauer Drive
104 Rosenau Hall, CB #7415
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7415
(919) 843-3945